Starfish Junction Productions, long-time producer of the Coffee & Tea Festival NYC, is putting the final touches on the 4th annual Coffee & Tea Festival: Philly to be held on November 5-6, 2016 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. The event is open to the public and the trade. Goodie bags will be distributed to the first 1000 attendees each day.

Information about the 2016 Coffee & Tea Festival Philly, including the event seminar lineup, is available at the event website: www.CoffeeAndTeaFestival.com.

“More than 55 exhibitors will be participating this year. The exhibitors represent both national and local coffee and tea companies as well as some amazing food companies which offer a nice compliment to the other exhibitors,” said Kristyn Dolan, event manager at Starfish Junction. “We’ve assembled some impressive talent, true industry leaders and pioneers, to host event seminars. Attendees are in for a real treat,” added Dolan. Many of the programs are free yet some do require advance tickets and a small materials fee to attend, reservations are strongly suggested. Tickets can be purchased at the event website.

Tickets are $20 each and include sampling from the coffee and tea exhibitors as well as attendance at select classes/seminars/demos. A small additional fee (varies) is applied to special event seminars (ticket availability and seating is limited). Advanced purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Coffee & Tea Festival website: www.CoffeeAndTeaFestival.com.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save 50% on admission.
Promo code: CTNEWS (Good for Saturday or Sunday General Admission)

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND—TEA COURSE FAST TRACK

Presented By:Gail Gastelu, Producer of TeaCourse.comSponsored By: TeaCourse.comParticipation Fee: $199 early-bird pricing until 9/30/16, $245 thereafterWho Should Attend: Members of the trade looking to add tea to their business or continue their education AND interested individuals looking to get into the business of tea; high knowledge level

Profit from TEA – Learn about tea this year! In four hours, your business will learn how to incorporate tea into its food and beverage offerings. This seminar provides all of the knowledge you need to get started right away. Tea Course Fast Track includes: Tea 101- Learn about Camellia sinensis (tea!) What is it? Where is it grown? How is it harvested? How do you get it (loose or bagged)? Tea Experience- Taste and compare white, green, oolong, and black teas to understand differences. Learn proper brewing techniques and how to serve. Tea Uses & Health Benefits- Learn how to incorporate tea into your business. Tea Success- Learn how to successfully market tea and tea events to draw new customers. Tea Trends- Learn what is trending in the tea industry and how to stay on top. Tea Resources- Learn how to find suppliers, additional education, associations, and more. BONUSES: All attendees receive a flash drive with additional reading, eBooks, resources, and special offers worth more than the class fee. Taste and compare teas and leave with your own tea cupping set. Tea Course Fast Track ticketholders receive access to the Coffee & Tea Festival with their ticket purchase that day plus a guaranteed gift bag.

BOMB Coffee opened its doors for business in July 2016 when four veterans joined together to develop the world’s strongest coffee. Their high-quality beans are sourced from small family owned farms located on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats mountain range in India. They are then roasted, packaged and distributed in the USA.

BOMB Coffee delivers a supercharged explosion of flavor and caffeine in every cup. Their beans are handpicked, ensuring the highest quality possible, and then carefully roasted for a bold flavor that’s never bitter.

Unlike other brands that use a blend of beans, BOMB Coffee has selected only premium, naturally grown Robusta beans due to their intense caffeine content. In fact, “they deliver twice as much caffeine on average than the typical cup of coffee without compromising on flavor,” according to the company.

“As veterans of both the Navy and Air Force, the well-being of our brothers and sisters in arms is always front and center in our minds,” states co-founder Robert Pricipato. “When we launched BOMB Coffee we wanted to not only make something different and fun, but also use it to help others.”

“Every day over 20 veterans take their life out of fear, traumatic brain injuries, or PTSD,” states co-founder Pricipato. “It’s an epidemic that no one wants to talk about, but one we can fight with more support and access to better resources.” Next month, BOMB Coffee will be donating 22% of all sales to help raise awareness and inspire support for fellow veterans.

BOMB Coffee is available in a bagged, ground and whole bean form as well as convenient cups for use with Keurig machines. For additional information, please visit www.bombcoffee.com

FOR SOOTHING HOT TEA:
The Four Golden Rules for a delicious cup of hot tea: (1) use a teapot, (2) bring fresh, cold tap water to a full boil (Note: If your water is heavily chlorinated or contains other objectionable odors, filter before boiling for best tasting tea); (3) use one teaspoon or one tea bag per cup; (4) pour boiling water over tea and brew by the clock 3 to 5 minutes and serve!

For the best flavor, preheat the teapot with a little hot water prior to use and cover your teapot with a cozy to retain heat during the brewing process.

REFRESHING ICED TEA:
For small quantities, proceed as for hot tea and pour over ice. For large quantities, prepare concentrate as follows:

Bring one quart of cold water to a roiling boil. Remove from heat and add 8-10 teabags per quart of brewed tea as desired. Steep 3-5 minutes and pour over remaining cold water or ice cubes. To serve, pour into tall glasses filled with ice, garnish or sweeten as desired.

SPECIAL GUIDELINES FOR GREEN TEA:
When water comes to a boil, remove from the source of heat and allow to sit for ten minutes. Pour this hot water over the Green Tea and allow to brew for approximately one minute and serve. (Note: The brewing times may be shortened or lengthened according to your taste)

SPECIAL GUIDELINES FOR ‘BIG’ OOLONGS & WHITE TEAS:
The best thing to say when dealing with any tea is – the larger and more delicate looking the leaf, the lower the water temperature. Usually, you will want to use between 180-190 degree water for big oolongs and white teas. Black teas need much hotter water for proper extraction. Boiling water will scorch a bold leaf like white tea.

Time is a little different since oolongs will need to steep a bit longer than white tea – oolongs 5-7 minutes, white tea 3-4 minutes. Of course, all of this may be modified according to your own personal taste. These instructions are only to be used as a starting point.

Everyone should adjust time, temperature and amount of tea up and down until they find their perfect pot.

Founded in 2016 and owned by two very driven women, Java Kick is a refreshing alternative to both energy and coffee beverages. Derived from natural caffeine and infused with ginseng and vitamins, Java Kick is a flavorful way to get a “kick.” Offering the dual advantage of a caffeine pick-me-up in regular or sugar free options, plus natural vitamins, Java Kick is a natural boost when you need it most, helping you stay alert and productive whether at home, school or work.

You can now satisfy your need for productivity with great taste. Java Kick, a new coffee cola energy beverage has emerged as a refreshing, practical alternative to run-of-the-mill energy drinks on the market. Java Kick combines coffee and cola, so drinkers can savor the delicious blend of America’s two favorite beverages.

Made with eight B vitamins, CoQ10, taurine and ginseng, Java Kick ensures your body runs like a well-oiled machine while still providing bold flavor. At a time when energy drinks are known for their unhealthy side effects, Java Kick introduces a natural, functional and flavorful beverage that quenches your thirst.

Java Kick is available in two versions –regular and sugar free –because no one should be deprived of great tasting energy. For those with special dietary needs, Java Kick is also gluten free and Vegan friendly. Cans are sold at www.Javakick.com and through the Java Kick store on Amazon.

You can get extra use out of teabags after your cup of tea - but only if you are willing to do so. You can reuse the teabag, but after the first cup it will start to lose it's flavor and strength. But if you think teabags are only used in the drink, there's plenty of other uses for them!

Reduce plantar warts. Plantar warts can be treated with teabags because of the tannin in the tea. On the affected area, place a warm wet teabag for 10-20 minutes, and then leave it to dry naturally. If you repeat this for a couple of days, hopefully the wart will go.

Give yourself a facial. Facials can be expensive, but you can make one at home... using tea. Place a brewed tea bag into a bowl of hot water. Then position your head over the bowl, and then put a towel over your head to keep the steam in. It will leave your face glowing and radiant!

Soothe burns and nicks from razors by applying a wet teabag to the skin.

If you have sunburn, a bruise, stings or bites, or a cold sore you can put a damp tea bag onto the area and it will help to soothe the skin.

If you have a big, dirty, greasy dish that seems impossible to clean, leave it overnight with hot water and a few brewed teabags. They will help break down the grease.

Clean dark leather shoes by wiping a wet, brewed teabag onto the surface of the shoe.

Control odors around the house with teabags. Put some used teabags in a bowl and place inside a smelly fridge. Leave overnight, remove the teabags and be left with the much nicer smell of tea!

Deodorize Your Fridge
Place a bowl of dry grounds in your refrigerator or freezer to neutralize odors left by stale or spoiled food.

Clean Tools and Dishware
Place a few teaspoons of grounds on a thin cleaning rag and use to scour away grease and grime. Finish with a thorough rinsing.

Hide Furniture Scratches
Dip a cotton swab into steeped grounds and dab on scratches in dark wood furniture to minimize them. Just test in an inconspicuous area first.

Give Paper an Antique Look—A Crafty DIY Project
Dip paper or sheets of stationery in a soupy mix of grounds and water; allow them to sit a minute or two, then let dry and brush off the grounds.

Repel Insects
Mound grounds into a ring to create a protective border around plants that will ward off ants and slugs.

Grow Blue Hydrangeas
Work grounds into the soil at the base of mophead hydrangeas to increase the acidity level. This helps the shrubs absorb aluminum, which you can add to the soil to keep the flowers a vibrant blue.

Scrub Hands
Rub a scoop of grounds between palms as an exfoliant to remove dead skin and help eliminate smells from foods like fish and garlic.

Fortify Plants
Give seedlings a nitrogen boost by stirring grounds into soil or a watering can.